When Whiplash premiered as the opening film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, it took the critics by storm. Almost every year, there is a movie that premieres at Sundance that people can’t stop talking about, and it’s very possible that Whiplash could be that movie this year.
The film stars J.K. Simmons as the intense, borderline maniacal drum instructor and Miles Teller as the student determined to become a top jazz drummer. While there was a ton of buzz surrounding Whiplash this past January, we have not heard much about it since Sony Pictures Classics bought the distribution rights. Thankfully, the first clip has finally been posted online and it immediately sets the tone of what we should expect.
In the clip, Andrew (Miles Teller) struggles to maintain a consistent pace, drawing the ire of Terence, the drum instructor who resorts to physical abuse to get his point across. Merely seconds will go by before Terence repeatedly stops the band, telling Andrew that he’s either rushing or dragging. When Andrew continually fails to meet the instructor’s standard, the tension between them increases tenfold. You may find Terence’s teaching style to be unorthodox, maybe even inappropriate, but can’t Andrew just get it right for once?!
After starring in the breakout Sundance hit The Spectacular Now and having recently signed on to play Mr. Fantastic in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, it seems that Miles Teller has officially arrived. What’s most heartening about Whiplash, however, is that it appears to be a great showcase for the talented J.K. Simmons, who’s been killing it as a character actor in both TV and film for over three decades now. Could this be the film that earns Simmons his first Oscar nomination?
Whiplash, writer/director Damien Chazelle’s debut film, continues its festival run this year with a screening at the Directors’ Fortnight this week at Cannes. But if you’re not in France at the moment, don’t fret, Whiplash will premiere in theaters on October 10th of this year.